The Human Condition
by BAMF Guy
Summary: A rainy night and a mission gone awry leaves Jak injured and forced to look after the Kid while the rest of the Underground try to stop the Baron's latest blow to the city. Despite the JakXMar fluff, be prepared for angst and serious undertones.
1. Rainy Day Monologues

**Standard Disclaimer: I don't own Jak and Daxter, they belong to Naughty Dog and Sony. So don't sue, I'm a broke college kid anyways. You couldn't kick quarters out me if you tried.**

_Chapter Summary: I wrote this chapter after lulling over the thought that Mar was born before the Baron took over so he and Ashelin had to have interacted over the years right? In fact if the Baron was Damas's right hand man, Ashelin and the Kid must have been present in each others lives for quite some time. So on that note... why is it she and the Kid are never in so much as single scene through out all of Jak II? And after thinking that this is what I got. Kind of a weird first chapter, please bear with me as I try to put a theme on this monkey. Despite that hope you enjoy it, and as a disclaimer while there is a lot of Asheliness in the first chapter this story is still going to be mainly MarXJak._

The Human Condition

Chapter 1: Rainy Day Monologues

Ashelin's POV:

_The sky was covered in red the night Haven City fell._

_Come to think of it... everything was._

_The sky._

_The streets._

_The people._

_All red._

_The fighting and gunfire lasted until morning, and it only stopped when every last shred of hope and drop of courage these people had washed down into the drains. The life and love in this place was bled out in a single day._

_Now only a shell of a once great empire remains._

_But I'll remember it till the day I die. _

_That night when the city turned red. _

_Hell... it's still too red._

Sliding her gun back into her holster, Ashelin leaned against the hard stone wall that led into the Underground.

Jak was late and people knew better than to make her wait. A small trickle fell from the sky and hit her nose.

Then another.

Then another.

As the rain came crashing down on her, Ashelin's painted mouth twisted into a frown.

Yeah, it was going to be one of those days.

Still, despite the weather Ashelin stayed where she was. _He_ was in the base tonight.

And that alone was enough to make her feet turn to stone where she stood.

There wasn't much in this life that she would consider herself a coward when it came to, but the thought of seeing him made her insides churn. _He_ was the one person she couldn't face. From outside the door she could hear the sweaty rustle of hands and the burly voices of men. Torn was probably in the middle of one of his famous lectures out to boost morale. Smirking she shook her head, imagining that half of the Underground probably preferred a stray KG bullet to one of his monologues. They tended to hurt less. Torn's speeches hit the skin like sandpaper and they rubbed you just the same way. Smiling the red head seeped into her thoughts, bringing a hand up to push away a soaked dreadlock from her eyes.

That was one of the things she liked about him though. His tight butt and the fact he was a whiz with paperwork helped too.

Her amusement was short lived however when the sound of an angry crocadog brought her back to fierce reality. From inside she could hear a freedom fighter's startled cry as he narrowly avoided getting bitten before someone managed to shove the beast into another room. There was no doubting it now... _he _was in there all right.

Mar...

He hated crowds... almost as much as he hated men carrying guns. It didn't really matter if they were wearing red or not.

People didn't need a excuse to try to kill one another anymore. And lately it had become a fine line between what was a hero and what was a monster in this city.

Hell, she wasn't even sure herself these days.

The rain plastered to her clothes now making her even more uncomfortable as they hugged her in all the wrong places.

It was freezing outside.

Where in blazes was Jak?

The woman quickly squeezed her arms to her body, her breath coming up in hot puffs as she stared out at the street. She was sure she'd give the young rebel hell when he finally decided to grace her with his presence but it was the other blond she couldn't stop thinking about.

_Without the Shadow or Kor around... I bet the kid is crying again. _

_I can tell, even without having to set foot in the underground's base when he's upset. He hasn't spoken in almost a year, when they found him wandering around the slums after the fire it was obvious something had happened to him. Whether the smoke had destroyed his voice box or the mental trauma had gotten him, Mar just stopped speaking after that._

_Funny... even now when he doesn't make a sound... I somehow know he's crying._

As a member of the guard, it had always been her duty to serve and protect the royal household. But there was a difference between duty and _want_. Because while she respected and admired the stern but gentle warrior king it had been his son she adored.

_A part of me still aches for the time when I could go to him. When I would hear his voice call my name and I could wrap him in my arms and tell him I would protect him from all the monsters he'd ever have to worry about._

_I swore as a member of the guard to protect him once._

_But I couldn't protect him when he needed me the most... I couldn't protect him from the biggest monster of them all._

_That's why I don't have dreams anymore... only plans._

_Thanks to my father and my own weakness I don't deserve to be in Mar's life._

_We both were too young. But in a sick sense, I was still the lucky one. While I lost my childhood and my faith that night, Mar lost everything._

_In a single night my father managed to turn this city upside down. The people in this city had to pay for his arrogance not just with their lives._

_They paid with their dreams, their hope...  
_

_Things like that don't exist anymore in Haven City._

_It's safer to despair than to hope._

_I think the Kid's the only one that's brave enough to do something as risky as hoping these days.  
_

The Kid had gotten only a little taller and quite a lot thinner in these hard years but he was still the same Mar. Only his voice had disappeared and to where Ashelin feared not even time would reach.

_He doesn't remember much._

_Trauma can do that to a four year old. _

_But I think that it's **that** feeling, and the helplessness that comes with it that keeps him up at night crying in the dark long after every other soul in this city has gone to bed. Most people think he cries because he's trying to forget, but I know better. _

_He just wants to remember._

_ To lose someone you love is a scary thing, but to forget them is even worse.  
_

_Despite what he wants... I just want him to stay alive long enough for us to win this fight._

_I've never prayed before, I'm not even really sure how. Faith in the Precusors or anything else is something the weak use to try to wallow through their own helplessness. I'm not that pathetic. I'll change my fate with my own two hands._

_But if I did pray... hell... I'm not even sure what god would ever stop to listen to the prayers in this miserable place..._

_But if did... if I could believe someone out there would listen..._

_If anyone deserves to be happy again... let it be the kid. He's one of the only good things left in this world... one of the last things left to believe in._

"Kid!" Torn's angry voice snapped from inside the base. "Try to keep that mutt quiet, will ya? I've seen things being torn apart by Metal Heads that made less noise than that." Biting her lip Ashelin tried to keep her stony face tight as she listened to the clamour within. She couldn't blame the man, soliders didn't exactly make the best babysitters. Especially in times like these.

She herself honestly wouldn't have a clue what do with a kid if she ever had to be alone with one.

The mother hen type she was not.

Although Ashelin was pretty sure Mar was fairly adept at keeping out of people's way. He wasn't your ordinary kid, he never had been.

_Squirt's not like other little boys. He's strong._

_Heh. That's almost funny in this city._

_Strong isn't a word pushed around in this hell hole too often these days, and most people wouldn't think to use it on a wide eyed kid barely old enough to tie his shoes. But you have to be strong to lose everything and still be able to smile like that._

_And I don't think anyone can smile like he can._

_He makes you want to believe that there is something out there worth fighting for._

She watched him from the shadows now. Far, far away so that she could never risk hurting him again. For the two years of his life he had been without his father, Ashelin had guarded Mar just as much as the Shadow or Kor had. Only she did it in the darkness where the others could be with him in the light.

But that was the price she told herself again and again she would pay.

_His smile is what keeps me going, keeps me fighting day in and out as I live this twisted double life._

_Because I see hope there._

_Hope in this black, twisted little city when its supposed to be dead. _

_Somehow, someway I'll make amends for it all._

_My blood took away everything that gave him happiness, and yet he still hopes... he still loves. _

_He loves enough even to forgive this city and the people who turned their backs on him_

_Enough to even forgive a sinful bastard like me._

She quickly wiped something out of her eye, blaming the rain as she let out a four letter curse. Tredging through all the crap the past had to offer wasn't going to get her any closer to winning this fight.

"Shit... I can't believe I let myself get so sentimental." She snarled to herself before taking one final look at the sky.

That blonde prick was going to get it when he finally decided to show up.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


	2. Fighting the Good Fight

The Human Condition

Chapter 2: Fighting the Good Fight

**Author's Note: This chapter is mostly building the basis for the rest of the story. So there's a lot of running around. It might be a little dry but bear with me, I promise the next one will be a lot more intense. All the same, enjoy.**

**-------------------------------------------- **

----Strip Mine----

-----------------------------------------------

A lone figure crept out of the shadows leaning his body into the rock around him. Quickly accessing the distance between the ledge and the moving crane coming towards him Jak inched a few steps closer. He had to time this just right or else falling would be the least of his worries. There were more than a hundred Krimzon Guard units out on the field below him.

And each one of them were equipped with enough Vulcan mounts to render him into swiss cheese if given the chance.

Turning to the ottsel that had a vice like grip on his shoulder Jak muttered, "Vin was right."

The last time they had been in the quarry Jak had destroyed all the dark eco mines the Baron had opened. It had been a rush job thanks to bombs that were almost as jumpy as the guy that had given them to him but Jak made sure there was no way the mines could be salvaged.

Or so he thought.

Recently Vin had sent word that the KG had been seen near the dark eco mines again.

And it looked like Mr. Paranoia had been on to something.

Quickly seeing a opening in the platoon marches the boy barrel rolled forward, pushing his legs forward so he could drop soundlessly on the ore filled bucket just as it passed it him by. Below him the hollow marching of KG soldiers continued, as no one noticed the young man that vaulted into the air far above their heads.

Wasting no time to jump to the other side Jak quickly ducked under the rocks and metal scraps as he made his way to the hollowed out control center that Vin used to hide out in. If he could just make it there...

His thought was short lived when the door to the small shack flung open and several guards stepped out into the fading light. With an animal like jerk Jak had cleared the distance behind the shack and was lowering himself onto the cliff ledge on the opposite end before the first flash of red emerged from the landing.

He could wait.

Right now he needed to know what the Krimzon Guard were doing back in the quarry.

And he could always pump them full of bullets later.

Shifting his weight he caused loose rocks and bits of gravel to spill over the side of the cliff as he dug his shoes firmly into the earth. The small echo of the stones hit the walls only once before it was lost to the abyss below.

Watching them fall Daxter took that moment to shoot a glance down.

And then he really wished he hadn't.

This fall was a real lulu.

Nothing but jagged rocks and black water was gonna be there to greet them if twinkle toes managed to step on a loose patch of rock. Paling inwardly Daxter tightened his grip on the blue bits of fabric that were already knotted around his small hands.

"Jak." He managed in a small voice.

But if his companion heard him the taller of the two didn't think to answer.

Daxter knew that look.

Jak was a lot more occupied with the raging danger that was in front of them as opposed to the one behind them.

He could tell without even looking at him that Jak was ticked, since he was standing on shoulders that were so rigid they might as well have been made of stone. Raising his head Daxter took in his friend's face his ears lowering as he did so. Jak's teeth were clenched into a snarl and the boy's baby blues were staring ahead with such intensity it looked like they were on fire.

Jak had become untouchable.

And when he went to that place there was no amount of screaming or bad jokes that could bring back from it until every last piece of ammo on the kid was either pumped into some metal head or shelled onto the floor.

At times like this Daxter just had to hang on and hope they'd still have all their body parts when it was over.

But that didn't mean he had to shut up while he was hanging on.

"Y'know, I love being in the middle of a death sandwich and all big guy but'cha think next time we can try a hiding spot that doesn't have a fifty foot drop?" He asked shooting his companion a dark look.

The only reply Jak made was a choked rush of air as he brought a finger to his lips and silenced him.

"Commander Errol says he wants the mines operational again by tomorrow." One of the sergeants above him barked. "You have your orders. The Commander said any delays in construction will be dealt with personally."

Moving a few inches forward Jak strained his neck as far as he could in a attempt to peer over the edge.

The raging sound of engines blasted overhead as Hellcat cruisers chugged towards one of the sunken dark eco mines. Chained to each of the huge zoomers were giant dollies strapped with drills easily the size of small tanks. One by one they were placed by each of the three lower mines.

"I tell ya this Baron guy's just getting sloppy. There ain't no way they're gonna get those mines up and running again." Daxter sneered.

"I don't think they're planning on fixing the mines, Dax. It looks more like they're trying to flood them." Jak replied. "Those drills are too big for anything else."

"But if they do a hack job like that all there gonna wind up with is a cesspool of dark eco." The ottsel said climbing over Jak's ear so he could get a better look. "What would they gain from just having it lying here in the middle of nowhere?"

"That's a good question." Jak muttered.

In the distance the loud boom of a drill erupted as the giant machines were powered on one by one.

"But whatever it is, I'll bet its bad." Jak answered tugging at his morph gun and cradling it against the rocks and his knee as he prepared to get up. "That's why we're not letting those drills reach the mines."

"ARE YOU OUTTA YER SKULL?" The ottsel snarled before thrusting his finger in Jak's face. "Wait, don't answer that. I know what you're thinking and STOP IT!" Eyes shifting from the sea of red below them and back to Jak's face Daxter tried to force his logic on his friend. "Listen babe, there's over a hundred of em down there and only one of you. Not to mention the zoomers with the lasers and big booming things that go zap or squish! Our orders were to find out what was going on in the quarry and we did that. BING! Mission complete, we get a gold star. So let's go tell Dreadlock Jim the good news and get the hell out of here before someone spots us!"

Getting that slightly insane smile on his face Jak turned the safety off his morph gun, "C'mon Dax, where's your sense of adventure?"

"Gee I must have left it my other pair of pants." Daxter countered before he seethed, "Wait that's right, I don't have pants."

Ignoring him Jak dug his nails into the rock and climbed back onto the ledge. "Trust me Dax. I won't let anything happen to you." The outlaw said giving his friend a small smile. Although it was only the ghost of Jak's smile and not the one of their carefree childhood days, Daxter looked at his best friend and felt his heart clench.

He had heard that line a lot even before Jak had been able to say it in words... and in all their adventures he had never doubted it once.

Scowling Daxter dropped an "f" bomb as he realized there was no getting out of this one. Just like that Jak had managed to KO any retort he might have been able to spit out.

Lowering his eyes defeated Daxter flicked his tail once before he sighed, "Yeah, I trust you buddy."

Silently Jak gave his friend a grateful look, his blue eyes washing into the warm blue they had once been. Then as quickly as it had crossed his face the gentle look was gone as Jak loaded a shot into the firing chamber and stepped out into plain sight.

Crossing his arms as Jak worked Daxter looked over the edge towards the men below him and spat, " I just don't trust _them_."

But the fireworks were already beginning.

In the time it took for Daxter to mutter that sentence Jak had taken out three KG guards and was running full speed towards the center.

"Jak..." Daxter whined as he jerked back and forth on the young rebel's shoulder. Already the KG had noticed a few of their armored bodies stiffen and crash to the ground. It only took a few more seconds before the air became alive with gunfire.

"JAK!!"

------------------------------------

----Haven City----

------------------------------------

Shifting through his paper work Torn took a jagged puff of air and stared out at the now empty HQ. Leaning on his side of his table he let his shoulders sag in a moment of weakness now that no one was around to watch.

This had been a long war... and it wasn't over yet.

Rubbing a kink in his tired shoulder joints the elf bit his lip and stared out at a topical map. Despite the aching stiffness and the exhaustion creeping up on him he had to keep going.

He could sleep when he was dead.

Suddenly the front door creaked open and blinding light filtered into the Underground's dismal room. Bringing a hang up to block out the sudden change in light Torn tried to make out the stranger that was coming down the stairs.

It was one of the last people he had expected.

"Ashelin?" He asked his voice full of surprise. "What are you doing here?" Then looking her over he added. "And why do you look like you just participated in a wet t-shirt contest?"

"Cute." She smirked.

Letting out a weak laugh the stern captain walked forward. "That guy's rat is rubbing off on you." She said closing her eyes as she pushed the wet locks of hair away from her face. Her lips curling into a darker smile she added, "Careful with that mouth solider, you may not work under me anymore but I'm not above giving corporal punishment."

"I'll remember that." The ex-guard replied ever rigidly although there was a small hint of a smile on his face. Moving towards the mens barracks he fumbled through some chests before he returned with a towel. "Here," He said chucking it at her and watching as she caught it easily. "I just mopped in here." Setting the joking aside he asked, "So what do I owe the pleasure, Captain?" Despite the fact he was glad to see her, Torn would eternally be business first. "You know it's not really a good idea for you to be here. If a patrol zoomer saw you--"

"I know." Ashelin muttered cutting him off as she rubbed the towel through her red locks. "I won't be here long." Taking a deep breath the woman rested her hands firmly on her hips before she explained, "Jak stood me up, so just give him a message for me and I'll be out of your hair."

"Yeah." Torn shrugged. "No problem."

Her eyes shifting ever so slightly the woman avoided her friend's gaze as she fumbled for the words. "B... before Jak though." She asked staring ahead of her. "Where's the kid?"

The few seconds of awkward silence that followed told Torn what he assumed from the beginning.

So that was the reason Ashelin looked like a drowned rat.

There was only one man alive that had that effect on her and that was the Kid.

Ashelin was a woman with few equals. Her pride was something even he knew better than try to conqueror. While she wouldn't say anything and he wouldn't ask... Torn could tell she had been crying.

."Sleeping." Torn said pointing to a small closed room on the other side. He looked at her, his eyes full of soft sympathy despite his stone like demeanor as he simply added, "He had a rough day. It's kinda been one of those days for all of us."

"Tell me about it." Ashelin muttered digging her nails into the table as she leaned forward. Slowly turning to her old friend the woman gave him a tired smile. "And I'm not going to make it any better. You better sit down for this one."

------------------------------------------------

----Strip Mine---

-----------------------------------------------

Two hellcat cruisers and fifty nine solders later Jak had managed to fire his last shot.

"Damn." He muttered tossing his last scatter shell to the floor.

"I can think of a few words that can describe this situation better than that!" Daxter snapped trying to hide the unmasculine rise in his voice as he realized they were screwed. "NOW WHAT?!"

Jak's eyes darted quickly to the corner of the mines, desperate for any signs of a crate of ammo the KG might have dropped in the confusion of his attack. Despite the fact there was eco everywhere, he didn't want to rely on his darker self unless he had no other choice.

They had created a gaping hole in the guard, but they were a long way from home.

And the KG were regrouping.

"JAK!" Daxter exclaimed yanking one of his partner's long ears in a frantic attempt to warn him. But the weapon came down on Jak before the ottsel's cry had a chance to register. From the shadows a KG guard stepped forward blindsiding the boy with the barrel of his gun.

Pain seering across Jak's forehead he was instantly knocked backward. The force of the blow hit the rebel hard, causing the small creature on his shoulder to fly off into the surrounding dirt.

Letting out a muffled choke, Jak's leg went out on him as his vision blurred giving the guard enough time to shove him on to the remains of one of the fallen Hellcat cruisers.

"That was a cheap shot!" Daxter snarled as he picked himself up off the ground.

White pain flooding through his temples Jak's head was still spinning from the attack as he clumsly managed to catch the guard's wrist before it could collide with his jaw. But there was little else he could do. The boy was at a severe disadvantage as the weight of the officer and the restraint of the car behind him pinned him fast to where he lay.

"Don't move, eco freak." The guard snarled drawing his taser closer to Jak's face. He held it there for a few seconds before lowering it inches from the boy's throat as if it were a dagger. "Well well. Here we were tearing the city apart looking for you and you decided to pay us a visit instead. The Commander will be overjoyed."

Through a tinted black visor the officer watched in sick amusement as the boy flinched and thrashed as the white sparks from the device blistered his skin.

Stifling a choke of pain that quickly turned into a snarl Jak's teeth firmly clenched shut as the heat seared into his cheek. No matter how many times he had gotten hit with the things Jak had yet to get used to the feeling.

Already he could hear the crackling of flesh as his upper ear was burned under the intense heat of the device. But he could take a little sunburn pain.

And was just the thing he needed.

Now he was pissed.

Snapping his leg forward Jak struck his steel boot tips hard into the armored gut of the guard. Despite the many layers of padding on the man's armor Jak knew how deliver a few cheap shots of his own.

Jutting backwards the man's mouth opened as he dry heaved letting go of Jak as he lost control of the contents of his stomach as well as his hands. The guard spasmed instantly sinking to his knees, his lips flailing open like a fish as he tried to suck back the air that had been so rigidly knocked out of him. Seeing his chance Jak ducked underneath the man before he was back on his feet and had a ottsel roughly tucked under one arm.

"Took you long enough!" Daxter snapped scrambling up Jak's arm so he could get back onto his usual spot. "Now how the hell are we going to get out of here?"

"I'm thinking." Jak managed shooting up the ledge of one of the destroyed mines. Underneath the slabs of loose rock and dirt he could see the oil like shine of eco spilling out from the cracks.

There was no other option now.

If he wanted to make out here alive, he had to find a way to reach the eco underneath him.

"Well, not to put a wrench in your creative process or nothing Jak but you might want to speed it up!" His friend shrieked tugging on his hair as the remaining Hellcat cruisers loomed towards them.

A moaning sound erupted from the vehicles as the light from each cruiser's twin blaster cannons heated up. Eyes shrinking in horror Jak realized just where they were aiming.

_Shit._

With the pool of dark eco only a few feet below him, Jak was standing on a giant explosives platform.

And he wasn't about to sit around and watch what happened when dark eco and blasters collided.

"Hold on to something, Dax." Jak said the words leaving his mouth in a choked whisper.

Whatever else Daxter had been about to say died on his lips. Meeting Jak's burning blue eyes the ottsel could tell already that this wasn't going to be fun.

One lousy shot from a stray cannon was all it took.

And suddenly the entire strip mine howled as if it were alive.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

END CHAPTER 2


	3. The Flames of Revolution

The Human Condition

Chapter 3: The Flames of Revolution

**Author's Note: Just a quick thanks to everyone who reviewed. If I didn't reply to your comments please don't think I didn't appreciate your kind words I've just been hellabusy this week with fire drills and nine hour CPR classes. So uh, thanks again.**

--------------------------

----Strip Mine----

--------------------------

White blinding light exploded through the area, followed by a wave of force that swept through the barren earth like thunder.

Jak had his eyes slammed shut, his whole body pressed into the side of a nearby boulder as he waited for the last of the explosions to hit the eco. But even with his eyes closed he could feel the electrifying sensation of power that was ripping through the earth and sky.

It was painfully silent for only a minute. But it was the type of quiet that washed over you like liquid, the type that only came with disaster.

Suddenly a ripping noise pierced the bitter silence and time started ticking again.

The mine nearest to him let out a sound a pitiful moan as the wooden panels and metal backings bent and snapped under the weight of falling dirt blown up from the explosions.

Dark eco began to bubble up from the cracks of earth, rising with pressure and finally shooting into the sky like water from a broken pipe.

Instantly the air was alive with sparks of purple as eco poured down on the crowd like raindrops. Shivering slightly Jak tried to hide the sick sensation that ran down his spine as the black drops splotched onto his clothes and face.

His efforts had backfired on him. At this rate the mines were going to flood the entire plain.

If he had any chance of plugging the mine again, he'd need to cave in the mountainside to do so.

And that was just what he planned to do.

Barreling forward Jak broke into a dead run, vaulting over broken bits of machinery and fallen guards as he pushed every ounce of adrenaline into his body.

He had to get one of the Hellcat cruisers away from the Krimzon Guard.

"DON'T LET HIM GET AWAY!" One of the superior officers barked seeing the flash of blue darting past them. The explosions had bought him a little time but now that he was noticed again Jak quickened his pace as half the remaining KG members turned their guns on the rebel.

"Boy, this day just keeps getting better and better!" Daxter muttered his heart dropping into his stomach as he saw a guard load a missile launcher.

And Jak was running again.

The open fire zipped through the air like a swarm of insects, ripping into rock and damaged equipment as Jak raced forward.

Leave it to the KG to still find the time to pump him full of bullets when dark eco was raining on their heads.

Suddenly Jak faltered and for a moment he looked like he tripped.

Whipping his head up Daxter witnessed first hand as a well placed vulcan bullet landed heavily into Jak's side, piercing through his back and shooting straight to the other side.

The youth let out a choke as his body went rigid for a few seconds from the force of the shot.

But he was too preoccupied to pay it much more attention after that.

"JAK!" Daxter exclaimed his voice high with worry as he could make out the thick, dirty blood seep through Jak's blue tunic.

Leaping over one of the broken drill bases Jak heaved, "It 's just a scratch."

But despite his calm voice Jak's eyes were burning like an inferno.

It would take more than that to slow him down.

His breathing coming out in ragged gasps, the elf tried to force down the rage that was seeping through his body.

Suddenly he was done running.

The pain was bringing back the one reflex that dark eco had conditioned into a animal like instinct. When Jak was in pain he got angry and when he got angry other people got hurt.

Behind him the guards were so close they were practically on top of him. Ignoring their thundering footsteps the rebel took his friend off his shoulder. "Wait here." He ordered shoving the ottsel into the nearby cracked remains of an empty ammo box.

"HEY!" Daxter shrieked as he landed face first into the bottom of the broken husk. "WAIT JUST A--" Cutting him off Jak's fingers shot forward causing Daxter to stifle a gasp as the breath was squeezed out of him. Biting back pain and surprise the ottsel whirled his gaze to friend as the strong fingers practically slammed him into the box's bottom.

"Jak?" He asked staring up at his friend's unreadable features.

The blue eyes that stared down at him were hollow and detached, and Daxter knew Jak was staring at him without actually looking at him.

"JAK!" Daxter called again. Flinching as though he had come out of trance Jak jerked his head and looked down at his friend and the death grip he had on him. His blue eyes welling with horror Jak instantly regretted the force he had used.

With a scared almost childlike look the youth opened his mouth and blurted out a clumsy apology as realized he could have hurt his smaller friend.

"... Just wait here, Dax." Jak repeated his voice muffled as his calloused hands loosened around the small creature's haunches.

Suddenly the youth shot forward his teeth barred and eyes burning as the blast of a scatter gun ripped painfully close to his ears.

Two more bullets shot into his flesh and he fell back clumsily in discomfort as he tried not to barrel into his friend's hiding spot.

"Jak--" Daxter started before he was cut off again. He knew his friend could pass bullets like bad chili these days but that didn't make him stop worrying.

"I'll be right back." Was all his friend said before gently letting go as the KG surrounded them.

"Stay where you are, freak!" One of them snarled but the rebel could hardly register the words.

Jak's form lifted itself up off the ground fitting a corpse rising from the dead.

His blue eyes were narrowed into slits, his breath coming up in jagged puffs of air as the youth pushed back the tattered bits of cloth and blood covered hair that clung to his neck before he faced the crowd. Around him the specs of eco from the broken mine flew by him flashing through the air like bolts of purple lightning.

With one final glance at the broken ammo crate just a few feet behind him, the boy felt the last of his humanity fade into nothing.

All at once he felt nothing and everything as the gripping power within him began to stir.

"Drop your weapon and put your hands behind your head!" A KG sergeant ordered.

The boy didn't answer or oblige as color drained out of his flesh, turning the cold gray of a corpse. Taking another step forward a deep abyss crept out from the bottom of the young man's eyes washing away the unholy shade of blue until empty orbs of pitch remained.

And then the boy wasn't really a boy anymore.

Scanning the crowd Jak quickly narrowed in on one of the sergeants.

Jak's claws extended, and in a flash he had cleared the distance between the guard and himself, catching flesh and weak strips of bone before the soldier's words twisted into screams of pain. But to the creature with Jak's face words had lost their meaning from the beginning.

To it they were nothing now but useless sound.

--------------------------------

----Haven City----

--------------------------------

_He couldn't breathe._

_Flames encircled his head as the fire raged igniting the hallway in a blinding funnel of heat as the giant tapestries far above him set each room ablaze. The child ran regardless; the instinct to find the person he had lost overcoming even the intense fear that radiated through his small body. He tripped a few times; blindly making his way through the smoke that stabbed at his eyes and chest. And each time he fell, his young mind wretched at the thought of wondering whether the object he was lying on was merely a broken piece of pottery or the stiff body part of some unfortunate guard._

_Finally when he could run no more the boy sank to his knees and began to crawl._

_Biting back tears Mar pushed forward despite the smoke above him slowly sucking out his strength with every rush of breath he took. It hurt; he had never hurt this badly before in his life. His lungs seared with pain as he coughed and wretched, his mouth burning as though his insides were on fire too. But regardless he continued to clumsily make his way further into the corridor with each tiny inch._

_If he stopped he knew that he would end up like the people on the floor._

_At any other time the child would have stopped for them, unwilling to accept that they were gone but his body seemed to be working on an instinct his small heart couldn't fully register._

_Even now when he was surrounded by it, Mar wasn't really sure what death was._

_He only knew that it wasn't as good as being alive. That it was stopping, that it meant saying goodbye._

"_Well well." A voice mused and suddenly Mar found himself up off the floor before he had time to turn his head. The man speaking was cold his voice burly and deep. And he spoke in a sneer that could only belong to someone who had seen many fights and laid witness to much bloodshed. Holding him up by the scruff of his overalls as if he were a cat the Baron smirked. "You're a lucky little bastard, I'll give you that. To still be breathing after all of this."_

_The boy's eyes were half-swollen shut from the heat and steam but he could make out the blurry gleam of metal on the washed out face of the person that held him easily enough. _

_So many times in his childhood Mar had hidden in his father's arms or buried himself in the protective apron of a nanny whenever the Baron had approached him. Despite how much his father had trusted the man, the child had always been frightened of the huge battle torn solider and his cold eyes. Now though, Mar's fear was tossed aside as the man before him carried him past the flames and into what he was sure was safety._

_But his elation was short lived._

_Opening his cracked lips Mar reached out and clung to the forearm of the huge man pleading with all his might for answers. Now that he was safe, the child's mind whirled over the safety of another. _

_As if reading his mind the large man's lips twisted into a small grin. "Don't worry, you'll be with your father soon."_

_The man sauntered down to the end of the hallway, where the flames had yet to reach the safety of the stairs and the huge glass windows that stretched out before them._

_And then he stopped._

_Quickly turning to huge glass windows in front of him, Mar put both hands on the panes and stared down at the city below them._

_Down below him he could hear the angry screams of men fighting and the blasts of gunfire. _

_The entire city was on fire._

_Lifting his eyes back up to the Baron, the boy opened his mouth but his blistered mouth just couldn't find the air for words. Pointing he begged the man to explain what was going on._

_Putting the small child down roughly the Baron smiled ever so slightly at that._

_The kid was still convinced he was here to save him. When the only reason he had rescued the little snot from the fire was so he could kill him himself._

_The Baron was silent, watching in grim amusement as the child glanced around a few moments before he jerked his head up to meet the tall man with curious eyes. _

"_You couldn't just lie down and die quietly could you, brat? You had to be just like your old man even in the end." The man muttered before his eyes began to glitter with something Mar couldn't place. Pulling a scatter gun out from behind him the Baron turned the cylinder once listening to the sharp click as he savored the look on the child's face. Eyes widening in surprise and terror Mar could do nothing but stand there as the barrel was pointed inches from his temples._

_By then even a four-year-old could realize what was going on._

"_Sorry kid, but every war has sacrifices." The Baron sneered cocking the gun as he finished, "Tonight the line of Mar ends with you."_

_Suddenly out of the staircase a voice snarled, "No you fool!" Darting out of the darkness a tall, slender man leapt onto the Baron's gun. Although Mar couldn't see his face, his balding hair and almost rodent like features had an air of familiarity. _

"_This wasn't part of our agreement!" The man snapped pushing the gun backwards with all of his might, "Now that Damas is gone the boy is to be handed over to me! You've seen what he can do with eco. I want him for the Dark Eco experiments!"_

"_Veger, you pencil necked buffoon get off of me!" The Baron cried easily overpowering the smaller man. Lifting Count Veger and the gun up off the floor the warrior let out a snarl before he chucked both of them into the air. But the scar covered solider hadn't counted on the force that came with his blow. He sent the frail old man crashing into to the boy with such a powerful thrust that the glass behind them shattered almost instantly._

_Just like that, Mar's small body tumbled backwards his arms opening wide only to catch air._

_He let out a stifled gasped before time just seemed to stand still. The frozen faces of the Count and the Baron brushed past him before a large rush of air swept through his clothes and hair.  
And then he plummeted into oblivion._

Hitting the floor hard, Mar let out a muffled cry as he fought to untangle himself from the sweat covered sheets he was encased in. After a few moments of fumbling he managed to pull the heavy blankets off his face and found himself back in the safety of the small storage room.

It had only been a dream.

Or a memory... Mar wasn't really sure anymore.

Already the nightmare was becoming fuzzy, as consciousness chased away most of the edge until only a dull pain of what had happened remained with him. Bringing his knuckles up the boy clumsily rubbed the cold sweat and tears out of his eyes not noticing the leathery body moving in the darkness towards him. Rubbing its scaly head against Mar's cheek his crocadog let out a whine gently trying to prop the boy's hands off of his face.

Stifling a giggle as the dog brushed against a ticklish part of his neck, Mar brought his hands down and placed them over the creature's head.

The nightmare already forgotten the boy turned his attention to his friend and hugged the crocadog with all his might.

This mean spirited, short tempered creature may have been on the hit list of every person in the Underground, but sweet Precursors how Mar loved it.

It had been his first friend in a world where friends were so few and far between. Scratching its ears as he cuddled up next to it, Mar let his eyes wander around the room. He could tell by the cracks in the boarded up windows that it was still too light for the sun to have gone down.

Voices were coming from the door in front of him, but they were much softer than the ones normally around when Torn barked orders. His small ears perking at the sound he could distinguish a woman's voice from the two that were speaking.

There was only woman that ever bothered stopping in here and it was someone he liked horrendously. The blond freedom fighter always had time to give him more than a few hugs and minutes of her time whenever she was around. Mar hadn't seen Tess in awhile since she was now working undercover in some other part of town. Grinning at the thought she might be around he stood on tip toes and quickly reached for the door knob.

Still he knew better than to interrupt Torn when they were doing important things so Mar didn't barge in on them. Instead he cracked the door opened and peeked out waiting for a good time to come out.

"That's just what we need." Torn muttered not even bothering to hide his disgust as he burned a hole in the table with his glare. "The Baron's getting pretty desperate if it's come to _this_."

"I've told you all I know." Ashelin said with an air of indifference. "I'll let you know if anything else comes up. In the meantime I have to get back to patrol."

"Off to oppress the masses?" Torn said with a small sliver of a smile.

"No more than you do." Ashelin retorted with a smile of her own. "Try to cut down on the speeches like the one this afternoon, cowboy. Your men already have enough to be depressed about."

"I always thought I'd make a great motivational speaker." The rigid ex-guard replied with a slightly upturned grin.

Looking him over with a smirk Ashelin shared a small moment of silence with her friend before she turned away. "Oh and one more thing." She added throwing her hair over her shoulder. "Tell Jak there better be a damn good reason he stood me up."

In the corner Mar had pushed the door open his little blue eyes wide in surprise.

The woman leaving wasn't Tess.

Still it was a person he recognized instantly.

"!"

Opening his mouth, Mar's broken voice was unable to speak the words that rang out in his head.

She was older now, and everything about her seemed cold and rigid.

But it was still her, he was sure of it.

_Ashelin..._

She was okay.

She had made it out okay too.

He hadn't remembered the last time he had been this happy.

There wasn't much he still remembered about the world before the Baron took over, but if Ashelin was okay then maybe his daddy was okay too.

No one in the Underground seemed to know where he was but if Ashelin was here, then maybe she knew.

Maybe she could help him find him.

A million maybes ran across his head as his heart nearly tripped over itself in excitement.

But she didn't see him.

Ashelin's business finished the woman pushed past the men's bunks without another word to Torn and was almost out the door before Mar could pull himself out of his thoughts. Letting out a soft outcry the boy raised a hand up to stop her but without a voice his plea went unnoticed.

Breaking into a run the child ducked under Torn's legs causing the warrior to cry out in surprise as he nearly tripped over the small mass of green.

"KID!" Torn called snapping his arms out to catch the boy. Barreling forward he leaned towards the ground almost catching the boy before a ragged pain jerked him to a hault. Crunching down on his ankle the little brat's crocadog gave the subleader of the underground a sour grin before it tightened it's grip on his leg.

And bit down.

HARD.

"AGGHHH! Just wait till I get my hands on you, you walking handbag!" The man started before he realized the door had already slammed shut.

"Damn!" Torn snarled.

--------------------------------------------

----City Streets----

--------------------------------------------

Mar ran into the pouring rain.

He passed the alley and managed to jump over the huge ditches in the road without tripping too much before he spotted a mass of red curls in the crowd of people.

Splashing through the huge puddles the little boy almost had his hands around the woman's pant leg just as two large patrol zoomers glided into the area.

"Captain!" A guard called instantly recognizing this woman. "We couldn't reach you on the communicator. Is everything alright?"

"Just fine." The woman answered coldly as her mask was slipped back on. "I was checking a lead here in the sector but it was nothing but a waste of time. When I find the person that sold me this shitty information--"

Spying the little boy reaching out for the Captain just a few feet behind her one of the guard's inquired. "Who's your friend, Captain?"

Her body stiffening the woman glanced over her shoulder.

The woman's heavy lashed eyes widened in shock as if she had been run over by a train. But the surprise was short lived. Straightening herself even more the woman's gaze suddenly turned cold. Looking around Mar wondered what had caused her sudden fierceness and instantly turned around to make sure no bad guy had managed to scramble behind him.

But there was no one... and turning back to her he realized the only person she could be staring at was him.

Looking him over if Ashelin was somehow affected by his presence the woman made no sign of it after that.

Suddenly very shy Mar swallowed trying to dislodge the huge lump in his throat. She was glaring at him, her painted mouth twisted in a snarl and her hands knotted like she was about to strike him.

But Mar's small hands opened despite how intimidating she looked.

He was nervous but he was also too happy to care.

She was okay.

She was really okay.

His tiny fingers brushed past her arm almost closing around her fingers before she jerked her hand back.

"I've never seen this brat before in my life." The Krimzon Guard Captain said simply brushing past the kid quickly.

Trailing behind her the boy tried to tug her arm, desperate for her to realize she had made a mistake.

Staring at him with the same disgust one would use to regard rotting trash Ashelin muttered,"Didn't you hear me? Get out of here. Go beg somewhere else kid, before I throw you in the stocks."

That did it.

His head whirling like he had been struck Mar quickly took a shaky step backwards.

Snickering one of the guards turned his eyes on the scrawny kid and sneered, "Don't let him bother you, Captain. In this part of the city you never can tell one beggar kid apart from the next."

The child looked up at her trying to force down the tears, his fingers still outstretched as if they had been frozen by her words.

But her eyes were nothing but cold amber lanterns of hate.

Dropping his gaze Mar stared at the ground quickly unable to look her in the face anymore.

Tears falling down in large puddles the boy shed them silently.

He didn't know what he had possibly done to make her this mad at him.

He just didn't understand.

Obviously finished with him Ashelin marched forward, "Let's move out." She ordered, "This sector of the city is clear."

"Yes ma'am." The drones saluted rigidly turning back to their patrol vehicles, no longer interested in the small child shivering in the freezing cold.

Once the officers were back in the vehicles and on their way, Ashelin moved to her own cruiser and opened the door throwing her equipment in the passenger seat.

"Hey kid." She said firmly her voice dripping with authority as she spoke.

Weakly raising his head Mar was afraid to look her in the eyes again. A part of him wanted to run, afraid she might hurt him now that they were alone. But this time when the woman spoke it was only a hushed murmur.

"It's cold out here." She stated her voice so much softer than it had been. "You should get inside. People will worry about you if you get sick."

Their eyes met and he could see tears shining back at him through her heavy lashes.

When you spoke as little as he did, you learned how to listen better.

"Go on, get out of here kid." She said again.

But her eyes told him all the things her mouth couldn't.

The things you couldn't say with words anyways.

Turning away from her Mar stepped back a few more feet until he could see the alley way and the entrance to the Underground again before he made his silent goodbye.

He didn't understand why things had to be this way.

But he would trust her now just like he always had.

Turning away the woman didn't look at him again. Closing the door the engine hummed before Ashelin and the crusier quickly disappeared into a row of zoomers high above the city streets.

And just like that she was gone.

Wiping his nose with the back of his hand Mar stared out at the broken streets.

It was okay if she had to leave.

He would still remember her.

He remembered everyone that went away.

From behind him two calloused hands picked the small boy up and raised him off the ground. Staring up at the rugged face of the Underground's subleader Mar allowed himself to be pulled close. "Come on kid." Torn said softly his raspy voice slightly hushed as the child wrapped his arms around his neck. "You shouldn't be out here."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

END CHAPTER 3


	4. Things Better Left Unsaid

The Human Condition

Chapter 4: Things Better Left Unsaid

**Author's Note: This one is kinda short and lacks much action. Let me know if the sap o meter is going off the scale. I like fluff alright but I don't want it dripping with so much sugar you'll need to take insulin after reading this. All in all this is just one of those chapters you have to sludge through to get to the good stuff. Hurray.**

* * *

----Underground----

* * *

It was nearly dawn by the time a familiar duo managed to get back to that part of city. The rain had passed, leaving only large puddles and muddled gray skies as Jak weakly slid the door open.

Up with the birds as usual Torn lifted his head from his paperwork as he heard the hinges creak.

"Jak?" He muttered trying to recognize the person that trudged in through the door. It was a surprising scene even by Torn's standards.

The kid looked like shit.

Dirt and blood covered the young man like a second skin, matting ever inch of his hair and the tattered remains of his clothing. The only thing on Jak that wasn't covered in grime was the rat.

"What the hell happened to you?" The ex-guard asked his voice dripping with frustration. "You never showed up at the check point yesterday."

As if challenging him Jak raised his tired eyes up to give the sub-commander a half-assed scowl before he moved past silently.

"Yeah? Well sorry we missed the tea party but half of the Baron's mobile infantry is what happened ta us!" Daxter snapped in Jak's place as he leapt onto the table.

"So I take it Vin was onto something." Torn replied crossing his arms.

"Guards were crawling all over the place!" The ottsel began wiggling his fingers for effect as he spoke, "You shoulda seen the joint! It was one big--" Holding a hand up to cut him off Torn's thin lips twisted into a scowl.

"Quit wasting air and get to the point, rodent." The man said dangerously as he lost what little patience he had with the creature. "This was _supposed _to be a reconnaissance mission. I never gave the order for a preemptive strike. So spare me the crap. Are the mines shut down or not?"

"Yeah." The taller of the two answered. In a tired rasp Jak finally managed to dredge his voice up from the depths of exhaustion. "The Baron won't be able to use them again."

"Well. That's the first good news I've heard all week." The underground's sub-commander commented in unvoiced satisfaction. Eyes narrowing he turned his cold gaze on Jak. "But that still doesn't change the fact you disobeyed a direct order. The next time you decide to compromise a mission, I'll shoot you myself."

There was a very real threat in those simple words and it was one he'd carry out to the letter if it happened again. Torn had enough on his plate than to clean up after headstrong vigilantes with heads so far up their ass they couldn't see the light of day.

But he left it as a warning.

As much as he hated to admit it, the kid was useful.

And they needed all the help they could get if they wanted to win this thing.

If it helped them defeat the Baron, Torn could put up with some hot shot rookie's shit.

But not much.

Making his way to the wall in the corner Jak ignored the older man's warning. Now that his body was no longer working on dark eco and adrenaline alone the kid looked like he was ready to crash. Leaning against the cold slab of stone Jak tried not show how tired he really was as he folded his arms and muttered, "You have a funny way of saying you're welcome."

"That's because I didn't say it. If that's all you two have to report, clean up and get out of my sight." Torn muttered looking the outlaw over. "You look like you've been through a fricking meat grinder. At this rate it'll take us days to air out the smell."

"Yeah?" Daxter asked shoving his hands on his hips, "Well you try running through a geyser of dark eco and lessee if you come out smellin pretty!"

Without another word Jak gave the underground leader a halfhearted grunt before he turned his back on him. Both elves had taken just about all they could stand of one another. Dragging his feet sluggishly through the barracks Jak opened the door to the locker room and stepped inside while the older of the two went back to his pile of paperwork. After a few seconds of deafening silence the warrior turned his burning gaze on the rat that was still on his table. "Are you still here?" He practically seethed.

"I'm getting, I'm getting... no need to get your panties in a wedge, bub." Daxter snapped back before a well placed dagger flew into the table inches from the creature's groin.

Daxter guts twisted in horror as he realized he was a few centimeters off from becoming a eunuch.

Torn was a better aim than he expected.

And that epiphany sent him running.

Scrambling into the locker room after Jak, Daxter managed to slam the door shut before a few more sharp objects could graze his hide. Hiding the sweat that poured down his face as a few metallic edges poked through the broken wood Daxter dusted himself off and threw his friend a grin, "Oh yeah that guy's nuts about us, he just hides it well."

Glancing at his friend with heavy eyes Jak was too detached to say something even if he wanted to. Lifting up his shirt the rebel hardly noticed his broken fingernails were caking mud and blood onto his skin as worked to pull his clothes.

Daxter caught some sight of some of Jak's souvenirs and suddenly wished he hadn't.

Granted the big guy looked pretty good for someone that had taken on what he had.

But he still looked like he had been run over by a stampede of rabid yakkows.

Leaving his rancid clothes where they had fallen on the floor Jak stepped past his friend and into the men's showers without a word. Already the crumbled up skin and tattered blue splotches that came with the massive taser burns were fading into nothing but black, ugly bruises.

There was nothing the young man wanted more than the chance to sleep his previous night's experience off but he knew protocol demanded he clean up first.

Fingering his chest absently Jak stuck his fingers in a bullet wound and was glad all the shots that hit him had passed through completely. It was always so much more of a hassle to have to yank lodged bullets out afterwards. At this rate the gun wounds would be gone by morning. Already they had healed to the point that there were only small gashes and pink exposed bits of muscle left where the flesh had been torn.

In a day or two they'd just be more scars.

It was of the only good things being pumped full of dark eco did.

"Don't forget to rinse, lather and repeat, babe." Daxter called after him. "You smell worse than old green stuff's breath."

Cracking a smile Jak shook his head and left his friend to clean up.

Daxter turned his attention to a nudey magazine one of the underground boy's had left hanging by the toilet as he heard the shower crank on.

Jak just needed to sleep it off, than he'd be good as new.

You could call it insensitive if you wanted, although Daxter preferred something like beer goggle vision or selective hearing instead.

Jak had always done whatever the hell he wanted for as long as he could remember.

And worrying about it wasn't gonna help, so somewhere in his book Jak stopped bleeding red like everyone else.

It had been that way long before the Baron pumped him full of dark eco.

That was the silent understanding between the big guy and himself.

See your average Joe smuck could get tired or stumble along the way.

Hell they could even fail.

But Jak was Jak.

And that meant he would always come through in the end.

So you didn't try to wrap your head around the rest too much.

And while Daxter didn't like being a peon for Captain Laryngitis and his crusade he knew why Jak stuck it out in the Underground. He had one hell of a score to settle and being a hired stooge seemed to be the easiest way to get there.

Sure the danger part wasn't that great, and the feeling only got amplified now that he was covered in fur but as long as Jak never stopped Daxter'd always be right there with him to shout a few juicy comments at each suicide mission they were tossed into.

Cuz that's just was pals did.

They stuck by each other.

* * *

Jak closed his eyes as the shower head poured down on him. His teeth were rigidly clenched as the bite of his bruised ribs and shredded chest tissue gnawed at his insides with each drop of water that hit it. It was a halfway point between pleasure and pain as the heat worked out the knots in each pulled muscle and cleaned out each wound. Though the cheap lye soap that made up the Underground's inventory didn't help the pain part much.

Running his thick calloused hands through scar covered flesh he pulled out the many scraps of metal and pieces of gravel that had embedded themselves in his skin while he had been preoccupied with making it out alive. By the time he was finished it felt as though about twenty pounds of dirt and blood had been washed down the drain.

And rigidly he realized most of the blood wasn't his.

* * *

The sun was already shining brightly by the time Jak finally emerged out of the shower and shoved himself into a spare change of clothes. Leaving his goggles and scarf on the floor with his other belongings Jak pushed his coarse hair out of his eyes and headed for the barracks.

The first cot he got to wasn't going to know what hit it.

Stepping into the main room Jak was glad to see it was no longer occupied by Torn. Something big must have happened for the sub-commander to leave his base. But all traces of the rigid ex-guard had been replaced with a smaller form that made itself busy on the floor.

Sprawled out along with a series of land mines made out of a box of crayons was a kid he recognized instantly as the boy he had met the night he had escaped the Baron's prison.

He had only met the kid on a few short occasions but something about the little guy managed to stick with him.

It was something he just couldn't put his finger on.

Glancing up at the huge shadow that covered him like a blanket the Kid immediately stopped working on the picture he was making and raised his head up to stare at Jak's intimidating frame.

They stared at each other for a few awkward seconds before the little boy closed his eyes and gave Jak a shy smile offering the rebel a blue crayon and a spare piece of paper.

"Uh." Was about the only thing Jak could think of to say slightly stiffening as the little boy continued to stare at him.

The kid made him severely uncomfortable.

Metal heads he could handle but he had absolutely no idea what to do in a situation like this.

As if sensing his apprehension the little boy took his mumble as a no and turned back to his picture without another word.

Glad to be let off the hook that easily Jak moved past the kid and managed to finally make it to bunks, spying a orange bundle of fur sprawled out on the one they normally occupied.

Daxter's front half was hanging off the edge while his feet were propped up on the metal backings causing him to look as straight as a question mark.

Watching as a glob of drool slid down the sleeping ottsel's mouth Jak managed a smirk. How anyone could sleep like that was beyond him.

But he didn't feel like pondering it in his current state.

Lying back on the next available bunk Jak bit back the seeping pain in his sides before he was finally able to get off his feet.

Unable to close his eyes immediately he was so tired he was almost past the point of exhaustion where sleep was even possible.

It was too bright. Everything was just too damn bright.

While his body was on the brink of exhaustion Jak's mind was still intensely sharp, focusing in on every sound, every rustle of paper and small rise of breath that went on in the room around him. He was still too wired from dark eco to completely shake off the edge from the previous night's fight.

Grinding his teeth together Jak put a hand to his forehead in frustration.

Sleep was a lot more out of his reach than he had hoped.

And that's when he noticed the kid was staring at him again.

Evaluating the rebel for a few seconds the boy could tell Jak was hurt just by looking at him. As he watched him, one finger propped in his mouth solemnly the kid seemed to think hard before a light bulb went off in his head. Scooting towards a corner the child started quickly digging through the remains of beaten up cheesecloth. Watching him work with heavy lidded eyes Jak found it hard to imagine the squirt was the lost heir to anything when everything the kid had to his name fit inside a moth eaten handkerchief.

No matter which way you looked at him the skinny, rundown little guy wasn't what you thought of when you imagined the descendant of Mar.

Still Jak found he couldn't help but somewhat like him.

The Kid seemed to treat each beaten up toy and worn down crayon he owned as if it were as important as a precursor artifact. Even if he was a bit of a wimp, kindness was something you didn't come across too often in this horrible place.

Finally finding what he was looking for the little boy neatly tied up his belongings and moved over to where Jak was laying. One hand was still firmly closed around the item in question as the kid tugged on the hem of Jak's shirt causing the rebel to stifle a groan as he pulled himself into a sitting position.

"Ugn...?" Jak slurred groggily before two small foil wrapped objects were waved in front of his face.

Climbing up on the cot and sitting down beside the rugged outlaw the Kid held out the two lollipops and eagerly waited for Jak to chose one of them.

Blue eyes widening in surprise Jak bit back a wash of uneasiness at the boy's simple gesture. He could tell from the dust on the wrappers that the kid had been saving them for sometime.

It was pretty obvious people like Kor and Torn had more important things to deal with than to spoil the child.

Jak wasn't really sure someone like him deserved that type of kindness.

Cocking his head in curiosity when Jak didn't move the little boy tugged his arm again, pushing the treats into the man's open palm.

Finally Jak managed a defeated sigh.

It didn't look like the little guy was going to take no for an answer.

"... Thanks kid." He replied closing his fingers around the more broken of the two suckers.

Satisfied the little boy placed the remaining sucker carefully in his pocket before he jumped off the cot and grinned. Then without a sound he went back to his drawing on the floor so Jak could sleep.

Just like that.

The kid sure didn't waste words getting to the point.

Closing his eyes as he laid back down Jak couldn't help actually smiling as he set the lollipop down.

It felt like it had been a lifetime since the last time anyone had given him something for being brave.

* * *

END CHAPTER 4


End file.
